Join in the fun this year at the DuPont’s Arcade Blast of Fun on Friday, July 22, 2016 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the Blast Arcade at Baytowne Wharf. The arcade will be open for conference attendees to enjoy more than 50 redemption and video games, Laser Maze and the Blast’ Em Shooting Gallery. Adults can join in the fun and games or relax with some appetizers and beer/wine in DuPont’s refreshment area. To pick up tickets for this event visit the DuPont booth during the conference on Friday. Each attendee receives a gift card for the arcade games and the opportunity to navigate through the Laser Maze and visit Rootin Tootin in the Blast’ Em Shootin Gallery. Come and experience this addition to the conference in the Village of Baytowne Wharf . . . and don’t forget to have a BLAST!

If you are planning to attend this event then please email Whitney Yarbrough at whitney@gapeanuts.com with the number in your family who will need arcade gift cards.

After a brief excursion to enjoy the mountains in Georgia last year, the 2016 Southern Peanut Growers Conference is back on the Gulf Coast at a new location – Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Miramar Beach, Florida.

The 18th annual event will be held July 21-23, with sessions on peanut production, legislative issues, marketing and promotion. In addition to the conference sessions, the event focuses on the family by offering a ladies program and a golf tournament. Registration is now open – both online and by printed form.

Sponsorship opportunities for this great event are still available. If you’re looking for the best place to promote your company’s products and services to the southern peanut growing industry, this is the place to be. Join us!

The Southern Peanut Growers Conference would not be possible without the generous sponsorship of so many wonderful industry friends.

From folks like Syngenta who have been top level sponsors since the start of the conference 17 years ago, to new sponsors this year like Crop Intel, these companies help defer the cost of the conference to make it more affordable for everyone to attend. Not only that, they help raise money for worthy industry causes. Proceeds from the Bayer CropScience sponsored opening Casino Night went to Peanut Proud and the Long Run 5K & Fun Run this year sponsored by Syngenta raised money for MANA Nutrition.

Please show your appreciation all year long for the fine companies and organizations listed on the side bar of the website here.

We look forward to seeing everyone again next year for the 18th annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference – wherever it might be! It will be exciting to find out the new location and we will make sure to let you know as soon as we do.

Earlier this year, a group of peanut industry representatives including Bob Parker of the National Peanut Board and Don Koehler with the Georgia Peanut Commission visited China on a trade mission organized by the American Peanut Council.

Bob and Don gave an overview of the challenges and opportunities they found in the most populous country in the world during the very last session at the 2015 Southern Peanut Growers Conference. “We want to sell raw peanut to markets around the world, that’s our traditional business model,” said Parker. “But we realize with on-line commerce there’s some great opportunities for our manufacturers to sell more finished products to China.”

China is the number one peanut producing country in the world, but Koehler says it’s really not very efficient. “It’s more modern than just with the water buffalo anymore,” Don says. “But it’s still one row production in most of the areas and it’s older people doing it, the young people don’t want to work quite that hard.”

Good financial and estate planning is important for everyone, but especially for farmers who want to keep their land and business in the family.

“Farm succession planning gives current owners and operators of farms and ranches the opportunity to really spell out their intentions and wishes and let their family understand that during their life,” said Taylor Spangler with the University of Florida, who gave some good advice during the afternoon session at the 2015 SPGC.

Taylor says it’s better for the whole family to take part in the planning during a non-stressful time and also to get the advice of experts in the field. She pointed to resources such as county extension offices and Annie’s Project, an educational program dedicated to strengthening women’s roles in the modern farm enterprise.

The president of the Georgia Farm Bureau visited the Southern Peanut Growers Conference this year for the first time, appropriately since it was held in his state for the first time.

“I’m with the peanut growers of Georgia and they are very dear to my heart,” said Zippy Duvall in an interview at the conference. “We’re number one in peanuts across the country and we’re very proud of that.”

Duvall recently announced his intention to run for president of the American Farm Bureau Federation next year as current president Bob Stallman is retiring. “I’m just so passionate about agriculture and I think I can bring that to the table,” said Duvall. “The other thing I can bring to the table is that I’m really good at building bridges and relationships and I think everything in life is accomplished through relationships.”

There have been AFBF presidents from South Carolina and Virginia but not from the lower Southeast and Duvall is hoping to be the first.